Phonograph or talking-machine.



J. F. OTT. PHONOGRAPH 0R TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5.1915.

Patented Apr. 8,1919.

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J. F.-0TT. .PHONOGRAPH 0R TALKING MACHINE.

APPL|CATION FILED MAY 5. ms. 1,299,768, Patented Apr. 8, 1919. 3 SHEETS-SHEET3 w 3 7 m J W W m /1 W w 2 M3 a a L 7 "ex 4. 4 7/ z x 0 2 w masses.

STES JOHN E. on, or GLEN RIDGE, EW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To NEW JERSEY PATENT coMPAN-Y, 01? WEST ORANGE, EW JEns Y, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

PHONOGRAPH OR/IALKING-MACHIN'E.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN F. OTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glen Ridge Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Phonographs or Talking-Machines, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to phonographs or talking machines. According to my inven tion, the 'sound conveyer is preferably so mounted at its large or exit end that the I whole sound conveyer and the reproducer connected thereto swing laterally about a substantially vertical axis during the reproclaims.

In order\ that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is hereby di tion and partly in section of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of a detail of construction. J

Fig, 5 representsa section taken on the line 55 of Fig. l.

Figs. 6' and 7 represent views partly section and partly in elevation of other modifications of my invention.

- Fig. 8 represents a view of a detail of corn struction, partly in elevation and partly 1n section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 represents a. view, partly in eleva tion and partly in section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

In all the views, like parts are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, and more par- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

7 Application filed May 5, 1915. Serial No. 25,885.

ticularly to Figs. 1., 3, 6, and 7, the sound re-' Pll'OdllCBIVl carries a stylus 2 adapted to track a record 3 carried by turntable or record support 4, the latter being supported upon a table or bed plate 5 secured to the cablnet 6 in any suitable manner. The cabinet, as shown, is provided with a hinged cover 6. As shown in Fig. 6, the bed plate is carried by brackets 7 secured to the side Walls of the cabinet 6'. The turntable -l is secured to the rotating. spindle 8 which is mounted in a bracket 9.0n the bed plate 5 (see Fig. 1) and isprovided with a worm 10 whereby it may be drivenby the gear 11 which is secured to the rotating spring barrel 12 forming a part of the phonograph motor. The numeral 13 designates abracket for supporting the spring barrel, 12. The motor 1 may be,of any suitable construction, a motor casing 13 being shown diagrammatically in Figs. 3, 6 and 7.

The neck of the reproducer 1 extends rearwardly from the body of the reproducer and is'connected in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 to the small end of the sound conveyer by a pivot 1 1 having a substantially horizontal axis, this pivot being carried by upwardly extending ears on a sleeve 15 surrounding the smaller end of the sound conveyer and extending through an upwardly and rearwardly projecting arm or extension 16 on the reproducer. The pivot 14 is located above the sound conveyer and the reproducer neck so that when the reproducer is elevated, the

connection between the reproducer neck and.-

the sound conveyer is broken, as is.shown in Fig. 2. When the reproducer is in operative position with respect .to the sound conveyer, the latter extends to a slight distance within the reproducer neck, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a tight joint between the reproducer neck and the sound conveyer being thus obtained. In Fig. 7, this form of connection between the reproducer and the sound conveyer is not employed, but the reproducer is rigidly connected to the sound conveyer. The sound conveyer extends from the sleeve 15 rearwardly, as shown at 17, then downwardly past therecord support and motor, as shown at 18, and terminates in a forwardly directed exit portion 19, there being no flexible joints in the sound conveyer from its end adjacent the reproducer to its mouth. The neck of the reproducer and the sound conveyer are of gradually increasing taper so that the sound waves are amplified throughout the whole length of the reproducer neck and the sound conveyer. From the mouth or exit end of the sound conveyer the sound waves pass through the open grille 20 (see Figs. 3,6 and 7) at the front of the cabinet into the atmosphere.

The sound conveyer is preferably supported as follows :A vertical rod 21 has projecting from its upper and lower ends brackets 22 and 23 respectively, these brackets being respectively secured to the upper and lower portion of the mouth or exit portion of the sound conveyer. The member 21, as shown in Fig. 1, is preferably tubular and has secured in the lower end thereof a spindle 24, the lower end of which is provided with a substantially spherical shaped portion 25, provided with a flattened bottom resting upon a ball 26 which is loosely mounted in a socket member 27 secured in the bottom of the cabinet. The spherical portion 25 of the member 24 is also arranged within the socket 27 and is held thereby against lateral displacement. A vertical rod 28 is secured within the upper end of the tubular rod 21, the rod 28 being journaled in a bracket 29 secured within the cabinet. By means of the supporting means described above, the sound conveyer is mounted in such a way as to be capable of swinging laterally about the vertical axis of the rods 21, 24 and 28 to permit the reproducer, which is carried by the sound conveyer, to travel across the record 3.

The feeding means employed for causing the sound conveyer to move laterally to carry the reproducer across the record com prise a sector 30 secured to a vertical extension 31 of the bracket 22 by a horizontal pivot 32, the sector 30 having a downwardly extended toothed portion or rack 33 coaxial with the rod 21. The rack 33 is arranged to engage with a worm gear 34 driven from the vertical spindle 8 by suitable gearing, not shown. Rotation of the worm gear 34 will cause the sector 30 and the sound conveyer to which said sector is connected to move laterally about the vertical axis of the member 21, and will thereby cause the desired feeding movement of the reproducer.

In the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 7, the mechanism for rendering the feeding means inoperative is identical. in construction, this mechanism being shown in detail in Fig. 4. Referring to the said figure, the rod 28 has pivoted thereto at its upper end by means of the horizontal pivot 35 a lever 36 provided with spaced parallel portions 37 and 38 arranged on opposite sides of the rod 28. Referring to Fig. 5-, circular washers 39 and 40 are arranged between the parts 37 and 38 and the rod 28. A pin 41 secured in the rod 28 is arrangcd'in an arcuate'slot 42 formed in the part 38 of the lever to limit the movement of the lever about the axis of the pivot 35; The parts 37 and 38 have cam shaped lower edges bearing upon a plate 43 arranged to slide upwardly and downwardly on the rod 28. This plate 43 has secured thereto avertical rod 44 which slides upwardly and downwardly in the bracket 29 within an opening at one side of the rod 28. The lower end of the rod 44 rests upon an extension 45 of the sector 30, this extension being on the opposite side of the pivot 32 from the rack The extension 45 is located sufliciently to one side of the -pi"ot rod 28 to permit the rack and the horn or sound conveyer to swing laterally during the reproduction of the record and is of sufficient width to remain at all times in contact with the pin 44 during the lateral movement of the reproducer and sound conveyer. The weight of the portion of the sector bearing the rack 33 is sufiicient to cause the extension 45 to always hold the plate 43 against the cam surfaces of the lever 36. The drawings show the feeding means in operative position for causing the sound conveyer to move laterally and the reproducer to travel across therecord. If, the lever 36 is moved downwardly from the position shown in the drawings to a horizontal position, the plate 43 and the pin 44 are forced downwardly, thereby causing the'extension 45 to be depressed and the rack 33 to be raised out of engagement with the gear 34, the mechani cal feeding means being thus rendered inoperative. The sound conveyer and the reproducer may now be swung lateraly about the vertical axis of the member 21, thereby permitting the placing of a record on the turntable or the changing of the record.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, I provide means operable by the elevation of the sector 30 to cause the reproducer to be moved out of engagement with the record. These means, as shown comprise a link 46 pivoted to the under side of the sector 30 and to one arm of a bell crank lever 47 which is pivoted to the sound conveyer. The other arm of the said bell crank lever is connected by a link 48 to one arm of a second bell crank lever 49, which is likewise pivoted to the sound conveyer. The other arm of the bell crank lever 49 is connected, as by a link 50, to the rearwardly projecting arm 16 on the reproducer. WVhen the sector 30 is elevated by the movement of the lever 36 into a horizontal position, the link 46, the lever 47 and the link 48 move the lever 49 in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the link 50 and the arm 16 downwardly and raising the reproducer about the axis of the pivot 14. Movement of the lever 36 into a horizontal position thereby serves both to render the mechanical feeding means inoperative and to disengage the reproducer tension 16 on the reproducer. The cam 52 as shown is provided with a finger piece from the record. Movement of the said lever 36 back into vertical position serves to render the feeding means operatlve and to place the reproducer. in engagement with the record.

Referring to Fig. 3, independent means are rovided for causing the rack 33 to be engagedjwith or disengaged from the gear 34:, and for raising or lowering the reproducer. The mechanism for raising the feed rack out of engagement with the gear 34 has been de-- scribed. For lifting the rep'roducer, 1 provide a cam 52 pivoted, as at 53, to ears extending upwardly from the sleeve 15 and bearing against the upper edge of the ex- 54 whereby it maybe readily rotated about the axis of pivot 53. When the said cam 1s rotated in a clockwise direction from the 1 position shown in Fig. 3, the extension 16 is -moved downwardly and the reproducer and the stylus carried thereby raised out of engagement with the record. Movement of the-said cam in the opposite direction per- 'mits 'the reproducer to move downwardly into engagement with the record. In this figure means are shown for yieldingly resisting lateral movement of the sound conveyer and reproducer when the stylus is moved out of engagement with the record,

- these means comprising the lever 55 which is pivoted to the sleeve 15 to one side of the sound conveyer and isprovided at its lower end with a friction shoe 56 connected by a. suitable spring 57 to the body portion of the lever. The upper end of the lever 55 is provided with a nose 58. which is arranged to bear upon the rear surface of the lateral extension59 onthe arm 16 when the reproducer is in elevated position, to thereby hold thefrictionshoe, 56 firmly in engagethe reproducer is in engagement with a .rec-

ment with the friction surface of a suitable track 60, the spring. 57 permitting the shoe 56 to remain 1n engagement with the track regardless of irregularities therein. When 0rd, the extension 59 of the arm 16' is arranged above the nose. 58 on the lever so that the pressure of. the shoe 56 on thetrack 60 is relieved.

5 In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the mechanism for disengaging the rack 33 from the gear 34: and for moving the ,reproducer out of engagement with the' record comprises ahorizontal rod 61 journaled within a-bracket 62 secured to the "sound conveyer and within alateral extenqsion on'the bracket, 23 (see Fig.9). This .rod may be rotated by twisting the handle,

' 63 secured to, the outer end thereof, the handle'63 also serving to swing the sound conveyer and the reproduoer laterally about the vertical axis of the pivot member 21. Rotation of the rod 61 causes rotation of the eccentric 64, (see 9) which is secured to the rod 61, adjacent the forward end thereof and thereby causes an upward or downward movement ofthe eccentric strap surrounding "the eccentric 64L and of the member 66, connected to the strap 65 andto the portion of the sector 30 on the opposite side of the pivot 32 from the rack 33. The

connection 66 may, if desired, be in the form of a flexible cord or wire. When the handle 63 is turned so as to cause a depression of the connection 66, the rack 33 will be disengaged from the gear 34. The rod 61 has secured thereto at its inner end a second eccentric 67 surrounded by an eccentric strap 68 which is connected by means of the link 69 to the extension 16 on the reproducer. The link '69; should be connected to the extension 16 by a, connection sufficientlyloose to permit v the "necessary lateral movement of the link 69. .By twisting the handle 63 in the same direction as is required for the disengagement of the rack 33 from the gear 34, the eccentric 67 causes the link 69 and the a In 16 to be lowered, thereby causing the reproducer to be moved upwardly out of engagement with the record. Movement of the handle 63- in the opposite direction causes the rack 33 to be reengaged with the gear 34 and the reproducer to be lowered into en-- gagement with the record. In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 7, the reproducer, as hereinbefore stated, is rigidly connected to the sound conveyerl -The reproducer shown is of the type shown in the patent of Thomas-A. Edison, .No. 1,055,621, dated March'll, 1.913,

and. comprisesa floating weight 70 connec'tedto the reproducer body 'by a spring 71- 'permitting upward and downward movement of the reproducer stylus. Inthe form of my. invention shown in this figure, the re I producer stylus is disengaged from the rec 0rd by the elevation of the floating weight 70. The mechanism for disengaging the 1120 rack 33 from the-gear 34 in this figure has i been ,jdescr-ibed. For raising the floating eight to disengage the stylus from the record, l pr'ovide' a lever 72 pivoted-to the soundconveyer, as at 73, and provided at itsxforward end .with a loo .74 in which. a

pin 75 projecting from the floating weight extends. The opposite end of the lever 72 is connected to a flexible wire, cord, or the. like 76, which passes under guide pulleys 77 and 78 mounted on the sound conveyer' to be raised and the reproducer stvlus to be move-d out of engagement with t record.

When the lever 36 is again elevated into a vertical position the parts resume their normal operative positions shown in Fi 7. A. spring 79 may be employed to hold the parts yieldingly in the positlonsshown.

Many modifications in additlon to those described above may be made in my invention, and I wish, therefore, not to be limited to the exact details shown and described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as f0llows:

1. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer in operative relation thereto, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, said sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical, feeding means for moving said conveyer to cause said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, and means ap plied to the exit portion of said conveyer for rendering said feeding means inoperative without moving said conveyer, substantially as described. I

2. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer in operative relation thereto, a

sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, said sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical, feeding means for moving said conveyer. about a given axis to cause said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, and means applied to the exit portion of said conveyer for swinging the same about said axis and for rendering said feeding means inoperative without moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

3. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer in operative relation thereto, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, pivot means supporting said conveyer for movement about a given axis to permit said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, feeding means for moving said conveyer about said axis, and means applied to said pivot means for rendering said feeding means inoperative without moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

4. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer in operative relation thereto, a

sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, pivot means supporting said conveyer for movement about a given axis to permit said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, feeding means for moving said conveyer about said axis, and means movable along said pivot means for rendering said feeding means inoperative Without moving said conveyer,.

substantially as described.

5. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer in operatii'e relation thereto, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer 1s connected, pivot means coacting with the exit of said conveyer for supporting said conveyer for movement about a given axis to permit said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, feeding means for moving said conveyer about said axis, and means movable along said pivot means for rendering said feeding means inoperative Without moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

6. In a phonograph or talking machine. the combination of a record support. a reproducer provided with a stylus in operative relation to said support, a. sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected. said sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical, and means comprising a device applied to the exit portion of said conveyer for lifting said stylus away from said record support without moving said conveyer. substantially as described.

7. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a reproducer having a stylus in operative relation to said support, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, said sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical, feeding means for moving said conveyer to cause said reproducer to travel across a record carried by said support, and means comprising a device applied to the exit portion of said conveyer for rendering said feeding means inoperative and lifting said stylus away; from the record without moving said conveyer,

substantially as described.

8. In a phonograph or talking machine. the combination of a record support, a rep-roducer having a stylus in operative relation to said support, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected. said sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical, and means comprising a device applied to the exit portion of said conveyer for swinging said conveyer about a given axis and for lifting said stylus away from the record without moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

9. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, a repro-ducer having a stylus in operative relation to said support, a sound conveyer to which said reproducer is connected, said sound conveyer having an exit portion at means comprising a device applied to the.

given conveyer, substantially as described.

10. Ina phonograph or talking machine,

sound conveyer to which said reproducer' is connected, said sound conveyor having an exit portion at an angleto the vertical, and

exit portion of said 'conveyer for lifting said reproducer away from the record support without moving said conveyer, substantially as described.

11. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, sound reproducing means in operative relation to said support, a sound conveyer to which said sound reproducing means is connected, and

'means for lifting said sound reproducing means away from said record support, said lifting means including a device ap lied to the exit portion of the oonveyer, a p urality of levers connected with each other, and

means connecting one of said levers and said device, substantially as described.

12. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination of a record support, -a sound 'conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical andpivoted at its exit portion upon a vertical axis, reproduc- -ing means movably attached'to said :con-

veyer in operative relation to said record support, feeding means for moving said conveyer about said axis, and means applied to the pivot or axis of said conveyorand movable longitudinally thereof for rendering said feeding means inoperative and for moving said reproducing means relative tosaid conveyer away from said support axis and for rendering said feeding means inoperative and lifting said stylusaway from the record without moving said 7 without, moving the conveyer substantially as described 13. In a phonograph or'talking-machine,

- the combination of a record support, a

sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical and pivoted at its exit portion on a vertical axis, reproducing means attached to said conveyer in opera tive relation to said record support, feeding means for moving said conveyer around said axis to cause said reproducing means to travel across said support and means for rendering said feeding means inoperative without moving the conveyer, substantially as described.

14. In a phonograph or talking machine, the combination, of a record support, a

sound conveyer having an exit portion at an angle to the vertical and pivoted at its exit rtion upon a vertical axis, reproducing means movably attached to said conveyer in operative relation to saidrecord support, feeding means for moving said conveyer about said axis and pivoted to said conveyeradjacenrt to its axis and means slidably mounted upon the upper portion of the axis of saidconveyer -for moving said conveyer around its axis andadapted to engage'said feeding means to render the same inoperative and a connection between the reproducing means and said slidably mounted means whereby the reproducing means. is moved away from the record support when the feeding means is disengaged, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of May, 1915.

- JOHN F. OTT.

Witnesses:

a J. B. Rnronn, J12, FREDERICK BAGHMANN.- 

